Water-heater



.(No Model) E O. SOHLEM-MER.

WATER HEATER.

No. 595,348. I Patented Dec. 14, 1897.

Witnesses: Inventor: z f g @liwc yfiuwwfl WQM cracked by ordinary use.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER SOHLEMMER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

WATER-HEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,348, dated December 14, 1897.

Application .filed January 9, 1 89 7.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER SOHLEMMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in WVater-Heaterspf which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of waterheaters commonly known as sectional Water-heaters, consisting, essentially, of a firebox and a number of superimposed (usually circular) sections having return water-passages extending horizontally and passages for the gases of combustion extending vertically through the same, said fire-box and sections being connected in common to passages for the feed and discharge of the water. Heaters ofthis class have come largely into use, being cheap and reasonably efficient for house-service in supplying manifolds or radiators for heating apartments in cold weather; but their extended use has developed certain defects which it is the object of my invention to remedy. First, the sections being made of cast-iron and bolted at one or both sides tov the distributing-columns it is very necessary in'order to avoid deposits of scale, mud, &c., in the sections and also to avoid cracks from unequal distribution of heat that the circulating currents should flow freely through the horizontal sections. As these devices are usually constructed this condition is practically ignored, and the sections are often clogged and burned out or As contributing to the second of these difficulties the sections are often constructed or put together in such manner as to create pockets where air is imprisoned and the distribution of heat impaired.

The first part or feature of my invention intended to cure the defects named consists in a construction of the heater-sections embodying a continuously-ascending water-passage from inlet to outlet, whose upper and lower walls have a like upward inclination tending, as hereinafter set forth, to facilitate the upward passage of the gases of combustion and to produce a circular or spiral movement of the ascending gases, whereby the heat is better distributed through the series of superimposed sections.

The second feature of my invention relates to the distributing-column connecting the heater-sections. My improvement in this're- Serial No. 618,663. (No model.)

gard is the construction of a vertical column uniting all the sections and divided by a vertical partition into two channels, which I may designate as the feed-in and feedout channels. The feed-in channel is continuous and open at both ends, connecting all the feed-in posts of the sections with the firepot water-jacket below and the circulatingpipe above the heater. nel is independent and connects the feed-out posts of the sections with the circulating-pipe above.

These two improvements herein described may be employed separately; but the best results flow from their combination.

Mechanism embodying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Whl011 Figure 1 is a plan view of one of the heatersections; Fig. 2, a side or edge view, and Fig. 3aperspeotive view, of same. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the entire heater complete with the distributing-column removed to exhibit clearly the different levels of the inlet and outlet ports. Fig. 5 is a face view of the distributing-column; Fig. 6, a side elevation of the fire-pot, partly in section; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the heater-sections alternating in the complete structure with that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, but shown in the present case with a modified construction of thedistributing-column.

Referring now to the drawings, A desig ter-passages parallel to the axis of the cylinder. The general contour of these apertures in the alternate sections b c is indicated in Figs. 3 and 7, those of one section being elongated at an angle across those of an adjacent section in order to diffuse the gases of combustion and cause them to impinge more directly against the metal walls of the waterpassages. Each section is provided with a central partition z, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) extending from one side partly across the hollow interior and with entrance and egress ports 19 12 respectively entering one side of the section at opposite sides of the partition 2. The two halves of the section The feed-out chanwithin the cylindrical ring '2", constituting its exterior lateral wall, are inclined in opposite directions but at different levels, the inclination of one half starting at a lowest point and rising to a higher level at the opposite side, which level is the beginning of the backward inclination of the other half, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and shown in perspective in Fig. 3.

The different levels of the ingress and egress ports are shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and in connection with the dividing-partition there is thus formed in each section a continuouslyascending water-passage connecting the ingress-port pwith the egress-port p partially interrupted by the walled passages w or y, which subdivide the water-current, exposing it more completely to the heated walls of metal. The outer ring 1 extends sufficiently above and below the interior walls to afford a proper seating of the sections one upon another, leaving space between for the proper circulation of the gases of combustion. The inclination of the upper and lower walls of the sections, as will be readily understood, tends to deflect the upward current of the heated gases, giving them a whirling or spiral motion in each open space between sections, thus tendingto distribute the heat more effectually, while the same inclination of the water-passages produces a free and rapid circulation of water without any possibility of imprisoning air in the sections.

The fire-pot construction is sufficiently indicated in Figs. 4 and 6, and consists of the usual water-jacketed cylinder a, into the annular space of which the water enters at the rear by a pipe connection a at the bot-tom and leaves by a connection a directly over said inlet. The novelty of constructionlies in combining with the annular water-jacket of the fire-pot having inlet and oulet orifices, as described, a baffle-plate or partition a arranged horizontally between the inlet and outlet orifices and dividing the annular space at the rear half of the water-jacket. The baffle-plate extends around the fire-pot proper forward to a line about midway between the extreme front and rear. By its use the water is carried forward, as indicated by the arrows, around the forward ends of the plate, at both sides equally, returning backward above to the outlet, thus equalizing the temperatures so far as to prevent unequal expansion, &c.

To complete the structure for use, it is necessary to add one or more distributing-columns. In the preferred form of apparatus I attach at the rear of the sections a single column E, which may be a single casing formed with ports at one side corresponding with the ports 9 as indicated in Fig. 5, and at tached, as indicated in Fig. 1, or constructed in portions E, cast with the sections, as shown in Fig. 7, to form a complete column by the aggregation of the sections. The column thus formed is provided with a vertical partition 17, forming feed-in and feed-out channels 1) 1), respectively, the former of which connects all the inlet-ports of the casings and opens below to the water-jacket of the fire-box, through which the initial feed is derived, and the latter connects all the outlet-ports of the casings, but is closed just below the outletport of the lowest casin g of the series.

Where, as in some constructions of this class, the feed-in channel is closed just above the inlet-port of the upper casing,it frequently happens that the upper casings obtain an insufficient supply of water by reason of the exhaustion of supply caused by the drafts made upon the feed-in column by the lower casings of the series and steam is produced,

which for various reasons is detrimental to the apparatus and otherwise objectionable. In my improvement this difficulty is remedied by the open connection of both channels above to the circulating system, whereby in case of such exhaustion the excess needed for upper casings is supplied by downdraft from the circulating-pipes, thus insuring at all times a full water-supply for all the casings. The general resulting effect is a better utilization of fuel and more rapid circulation through the entire apparatus.

I claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A section for a water-heater of the character indicated, embodying ashallow cylinder divided nearly across by a diametrical partition separating the exit-port from an adjacent inlet-port occupying different levels, thus producing a return-passage of continuous upward inclinations from front to rear and from rear to front, said passage being pierced by vertical smoke-Hues dividing the water-passage, substantially as set forth.

2. In a water-heater of the character indicated the combination of lateral heating-sections with inlet and outlet orifices independently adjacent at one side, and a partitioned distributing-casing connecting all the receiving-posts of the sections in one channel and all the dischargeposts of the sections in a second channel, both channels communicating with the circulating-pipe of the distributing system, substantially as set forth.

3. In a water-heater of the character indicated, the combination of a series of superimposed water-heating sections each having adjacent inlet and outlet ports at different levels and a return water-passage inclined upwardly from the inlet-port to the rear and from the rear to the outlet-port, and a vertical shell covering all of said ports and constituting a single water-distributing column, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OLIVER SCIILEMMER.

\Vitnesses:

RoBT'. J. 0. BROWN, HERBERT J. ALLsUP. 

